1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically assembling a pair of fastener elements of a garment fastener, such as a snap button, a hook-and-eye fastener or an ornament, with a garment fabric disposed between the two fastener elements. More particularly, the invention relates to such an automatic fastener assembling apparatus of the type in which a drive for lowering a punch toward a die is actuated by stepping a foot pedal.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,837, issued Dec. 20, 1966, discloses an automatic fastener assembling apparatus of the type mentioned above. According to this prior apparatus, an actuating means for the drive to lower the punch generally includes a channel-shaped cover pivotally mounted on a frame by a pivot, and an inverted L-shaped lever pivotally connected at its rear end to the pivot and at its front end to a garment presser. The front end of the cover is normally urged upwardly by an extension spring. A compression spring is mounted between the cover and the lever so as to normally urge the lever away from the cover. The cover is operatively connected to a foot pedal via a pull rod. As the foot pedal is stepped to pull the front end of the cover downwardly against the bias of the extension spring, the front end of the lever is lowered under the bias of the compression spring to cause the garment presser to. press the garment fabric against the die. As the foot pedal is further stepped, the front end of the cover is further lowered against the bias of the extension spring and also against the bias of the compression spring. As a result, the rear end of the cover is raised to depress a plunger of a microswitch, thus energizing the drive to lower the punch. However, this prior apparatus is disadvantageous in that the actuating means requires a relatively large number of components, thus making the apparatus complex in construction and hence expensive to manufacture.